Game Results

And, just like that, the Lightning no longer control their division title destiny.

TB-1
WSH-7

Johan Holmqvist allowed 4 goals on 24 shots for the loss while Marc Denis allowed 3 goals on 5 shots in relief. Filip Kuba had the only Lightning goal off assists from Doug Janik and Nick Tarnasky. The Lightning now trail Atlanta by six points in the division with a game in hand after the Thrashers' overtime win against Buffalo today. Just 4 points separate 6th place Tampa Bay and the 9th place New York Islanders now, putting the Lightning in the uncomfortable position of not only seeing their division title hopes slip away, but also seeing that making the playoffs may become a difficult task as well.

Bad, bad, bad time of year for a three game losing streak.

First Period
Washington 5:31, Tomas Fleischmann 3 (Boyd Gordon)
Washington 13:38, Tomas Fleischmann 4 (Kris Beech, Milan Jurcina)

Second Period
Washington 1:14, Alexander Semin 35 (power play) (Chris Clark, Brian Pothier)
Washington 6:45, Alexander Semin 36 (Tomas Fleischmann)
Washington 8:18, Alexander Semin 37 (Kris Beech, Matt Bradley)
Tampa Bay 17:44, Filip Kuba 11 (Doug Janik, Nick Tarnasky)

Third Period
Washington 10:34, Alexandre Giroux 2 (unassisted)
Washington 17:55, Boyd Gordon 5 (Tomas Fleischmann, Shaone Morrisonn)

Game sheet from NHL.com.

Alexei Glukhov and #9 Cherepovets' season ended by the slimmest of margins today as they fell 1-0 to #8 Khimik in the decisive Game Five of their opening round playoff series. Glukhov finishes the playoffs scoreless in 5 games with 4 penalty minutes and a -3 rating.

The next round of the Russian Superleague playoffs begins Tuesday. In series involving Lightning prospects:

#1 Kazan (Dimitri Kazionov)
vs.
#8 Khimik

#2 Omsk
vs.
#7 Yaroslavl (Evgeny Artyukhin)

With the weight of the affiliation dissolving seemingly lifted off their shoulders, Springfield responds.

HFD-2
SPR-5

Jonathan Boutin stopped 29 of 31 shots faced for the win. Veteran Eric Healey led the way with 2 goals and 1 assist while new Falcon Joe Rullier had a trifecta of assists. David Spina added 2 goals and the Falcons' other newcomer, Nick Kuiper, had two helpers. Stephen Baby had the other Falcons goal and Justin Keller, Dan Cavanaugh and Norm Milley had individual assists. ATO player Dusty Collins was -1 with 2 shots on goal in his professional debut.

Kyle Wanvig and Ryan Munce were not available for the game due to travel problems presumably because of the snowstorm that has enveloped the Northeast. Karri Ramo was not listed as a healthy scratch in Springfield's game recap, for those who need fuel for the speculation he has been recalled.

First Period
SPR Healey, (25) (Keller, Milley), 11:04
SPR Healey, (26) (Rullier, Kuiper), 18:33 (SH)

Second Period
HFD Bourret, (12) (Degon, Lampman), 4:27 (PP)
SPR Baby, (2) (Rullier, Healey), 16:25 (PP)
SPR Spina, (9) (Rullier), 19:44 (SH)

Third Period
HFD Olver, (1) , 8:34
SPR Spina, (10) (Cavanaugh, Kuiper), 17:57 (EN)

Game sheet from TheAHL.com.

The sun may be setting on the Chiefs' season.

JHN-1
REA-3

Morgan Cey allowed 2 goals on 22 shots in the loss. Ian MacLean had the Chiefs goal off assists from Grant Jacobsen and Brandon Elliot. Johnstown is now 7 points behind Trenton for the final North Division playoff spot with just 1 game in hand and 8 points behind Reading with 3 games in hand.

First Period
REA Becker, (9) (Wing, Francisco), 8:03

Second Period
REA Christie, (4) (Cohen, Zappala), 1:45

Third Period
JHN MacLean, (2) (Jacobsen, Elliott), 15:00
REA Bala, (19) , 19:28 (EN)

Game sheet from ECHL.com.

New Hampshire 3 - UMass 2 (2OT)
Game 1 - Hockey East Tournament - Semi-finals

John Wessbecker and UMass' HEast tournament run came to an end as No. 1 seed New Hampshire's Bobby Butler scored 1:30 into the second extra period. Wessbecker was scoreless and even in the game with one shot.

The semi-finals and finals of the HEast tournament are single elimination after a best of three series in the first two rounds. New Hampshire takes on Boston College in Saturdays final.